The gospel song “One Day at a Time” has a lot of good advice in it. Written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson close to 50 years ago, it is as timely today as it was then.
For many years, I struggled trying to live, mentally, too far in the future. I was always trying to figure out what the future would bring.
As you can imagine if you live thinking about the future, you let the here and now slip away from you.
At my age now time has certainly flown by and there is no way I could have known at 25 year’s old that I would be this age or doing what I do.
I had no earthly idea that I would become a writer. It was not even on my radar back then.
It took me awhile to figure out that I had better live for now and let the future take care of itself.
I remember many years ago hearing that song on the radio and thinking maybe, just maybe, there was a message in the lyrics. The more I heard the song or even sang it to myself, the better my understanding became of how to deal with so many of life’s troubles.
Those times in my life when I started to worry about the future, for some reason that song would come to mind. These are the words that seemed to get stuck in my thoughts:
One day at a time, sweet Jesus
That’s all I'm asking of You
Just give me the strength to do everyday
What I have to do
Yesterday's gone, sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine
Help me today
Show me the way
One day at a time
There is a lot of wisdom in those few words, if you will take time to listen. At first it was hard for me. I’m a natural-born worrier so trying not to let what could happen interfere with the present took a while.
I still have a tendency to reach out and worry about things in the future, however me worrying about them has never changed an outcome that I am aware of.
The last verse says it all, especially in these trying times:
Do You remember, when You walked among men
Well, Jesus, You know, if You're looking below
It's worse now than then
Pushing and shouting
That's crowded my mind
So for my sake, teach me to take
One day at a time.
Byron Spires is a retired newspaper editor. He has written dozens of short stories and serials in the Havana Herald. He recently published “The Curious Life of Marci Bell: Part I,” in a series of three books. You can contact him at byronspires51@gmail.com.
Byron Spires
